How I wish I could meet with God over coffee to get crystal-clear answers to my deep questions. Sometimes it is hard for me not to be able to encounter God in the way I meet my fellow human beings. Many Christians desire to be closer to God. We want to feel His presence, but […]
We mainly rejoice when something great happens. When we receive a gift, a long-awaited vacation is coming up, our child passes the exam, a promotion at work, or whatever. Usually, an external event causes us to feel joy. No matter how beautiful these experiences are, the good feelings soon pass. However, there is a joy […]
As Christians, are we known as the people who love one another? If I’d take a survey today, asking people I encounter on the streets the answer would be a big NO. Unfortunately, we’re often appraised as judgmental, critical, and fake. “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have […]
Some days I long for the comfort and safety I experienced at my parents’ home. To be a child, well protected under the shelter and security that my parents offered me. I remember the house I grew up in as a safe haven. When there were challenges at school or troubles with other kids, I […]
God promises us His peace in countless places in the Bible. He wants us to experience inner peace and to live in harmony with one another. Jesus himself is even called the Prince of Peace: For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And […]
Haman in the book of Esther was a very prideful man. He bragged about his great wealth and talked about how powerful he was and that he found favor in the eyes of the king (Esther 5:11-13). It must have been very tiring for the people standing next to him to listen to his chatter. […]
A friend of mine told me that her mother envied people who met Jesus later in life. If you didn’t grow up as a believer, you would have a story to tell, she explained. I didn’t know what to make of that statement. I didn’t grow up in church, so I can tell a story […]
The first person that comes to mind (after Jesus) who was completely free of the opinion of men is the apostle Paul. Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be […]
The disciples had been traveling with Jesus for almost three years. They experienced the Son of God, the promised Messiah, up close. They had observed countless miracles and learned a lot from him. They knew that one should love his neighbor and that helping and giving are signs of the Kingdom of God. The woman […]
Whether online or in the store, you can find shelves of literature on happiness. These books are filled with tips and instructions on how to become a happy person. Especially in the Western world, where we enjoy such wealth, many people are deeply unhappy. But do those books really help? A while ago, I hold […]